Another View: Smoke detectors essential in homes

October is National Fire Prevention Month, so we remind readers that the best investment they will ever make in home safety is to have a properly functioning smoke detector installed in every bedroom of their residence.

New technology-such as dual-sensor smoke alarms that warn of both flame and smoke-has made these essential devices even more effective. Dual-sensor alarms use ionization and photoelectric technologies. An ionization smoke alarm warns of flaming fires, such as a cooking fire. The photoelectric alarm is more responsive to a smoldering fire, such as that from overheated wiring.

Firefighters say having a properly functioning smoke detector in the home more than doubles a person's chances of surviving a house fire. And a smoke detector that has had its battery drained or removed is of no use in alerting a family to a fire.

Tennessee routinely ranks among the top 10 states in the nation when it comes to the number of residents killed in house fires. [According to the U.S. Fire Administration, the highest risk for death by fire in 2010 was in Washington, D.C., followed by West Virginia, Alabama, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Louisiana.] Many of those lives might have been saved by a fully functioning smoke detector.

Taking some simple precautions can spare your family from tragedy.

The kitchen is another area home where residents should be concerned. More than 100,000 fires reported in the United States annually involve cooking equipment, and most are caused by unattended cooking.

Here are some tips that fire officials say can protect your family and home from a kitchen fire.

? Don't leave cooking unattended. If you leave the room, turn off the stove.

? If you are baking, roasting or simmering food use a timer to remind you of it.

? For a fire in the oven, turn off the heat and keep the door closed and wait for the fire to go out. If it doesn't, get out and call the fire department immediately.

? If a small grease fire starts in a pan, smother it by carefully sliding the lid over the pan, turn off the burner and wait for it to cool. Never pour water on a grease fire.

? Keep a fire extinguisher within easy reach and in the kitchen. Know how to use it and keep it inspected and maintained.

? Keep areas next to the stove clean from combustible items and flammable liquids.

Also, it's vital for families to develop and practice a home evacuation plan. That includes:

? Developing a plan by identifying the two best escape routes from each room. Make sure each route is unobstructed. Review the plan with the whole family.

? Knowing how to escape. First, feel the door with the back of your hand. A hot door means a fire is on the other side and you should choose an alternate escape route.

? Choosing a safe meeting place. Pick a tree or other landmark that is a safe distance from the house. All members of the family should come to this place once they get out.

It's important for families to practice the escape plan at least two times a year. Practicing will make the response to a fire become second nature.

--Johnson City (Tenn.) Press

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Another View: Smoke detectors essential in homes

October is National Fire Prevention Month, so we remind readers that the best investment they will ever make in home safety is to have a properly functioning smoke detector installed in every bedroom